Web Content Celebrating The Sietch moving into 3rd place in splinter forums

[Terthna]

Well no offense to the man but head of AH is pretty biased in his political convictions at time and insanely ban happy at other if they don't follow them, (The Admin's bias in any form of IsraelxPalestinian debate's is legendary.) it's little wonder they lose so many people.

Also can anybody tell me the history of how this site came be and splinter from SB? Because I am new and deeply curious of how it happened...

In summary; there was a PM over on SB, comprised of an honestly ridiculous number of individuals, where users talked mostly about how best to present conservative arguments. Eventually, this one guy by the name of Horton and those he managed to rope into his activities decided to hack the PM, cherry-pick posts that made those who posted there look as bad as possible (as well as modify, or even outright fabricate, some to make them look even worse), and presented his "evidence" to SB staff and the community at large of a diabolical conservative conspiracy who's goal he insisted was to take over the forum.

Long story short, the mods hung everyone who was a member of the PM out to dry (which included some of the few remaining conservatives on SB's staff), and one of them decided, with some of her friends and the now former mods of SB, to make her own forum. I might be overlooking a few key details, and those who were actually involved can elaborate, but that's basically how The Sietch came to be.

 

[Erwin_Pommel]

So, this is a thread to reflect on, celebrate and joke about a ten month long wild ride where we have just moved into position as the third largest (albeit much smaller than 1 and 2) of the daughter or splinter forums of spacebattles. We now stand poised ready to continue growth, and with this milestone I just want to celebrate a moment the accomplishment that we all collectively made in spite of the continuous efforts to repress and slander us. It means among other things that we had more posts in the past 10 months than stardestroyer.net did in the past 3.5 yrs, and in fact, we're running at 11% of the traffic of alternatehistory.com at present.

That's nice to hear, best of luck to you lot with your "Realm Building" then.

 

[Deleted member]

In summary; there was a PM over on SB, comprised of an honestly ridiculous number of individuals, where users talked mostly about how best to present conservative arguments. Eventually, this one guy by the name of Horton and those he managed to rope into his activities decided to hack the PM, cherry-pick posts that made those who posted there look as bad as possible (as well as modify, or even outright fabricate, some to make them look even worse), and presented his "evidence" to SB staff and the community at large of a diabolical conservative conspiracy who's goal he insisted was to take over the forum.

Long story short, the mods hung everyone who was a member of the PM out to dry (which included some of the few remaining conservatives on SB's staff), and one of them decided, with some of her friends and the now former mods of SB, to make her own forum. I might be overlooking a few key details, and those who were actually involved can elaborate, but that's basically how The Sietch came to be.

I wasn't actually a part of the PM. I was just so angry at the way my friend Lightning Count, who was one of the mods running that PM (and who isn't even really conservative, just a decent person) was getting railroaded by the howler monkeys and the SB staff that I went ahead and reached out to the railroaded modstaff and offered my services in creating a forum for them.

 

[Terthna]

I wasn't actually a part of the PM. I was just so angry at the way my friend Lightning Count, who was one of the mods running that PM (and who isn't even really conservative, just a decent person) was getting railroaded by the howler monkeys and the SB staff that I went ahead and reached out to the railroaded modstaff and offered my services in creating a forum for them.

I still regret only hearing about everything that happened well after the fact; I would have loved to have been in that PM. Also having that Founder banner under my username would be kinda cool too; though there's something to be said for being in that first wave to show up after the grand opening.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

This website is not much better. The activity levels of all other subforums, combined, show that it's not a science fiction website, it's a right wing politics website with a science fiction theme.

Of course naval alternate history is part of the alternate history theme

 

[Sailor.X]

Well I am glad i picked the Founder Of the Dominion the Sietch tag when the site was first made. I only go to SB for my other Star Trek Online Thread and that is about it.

 

[Tiamat]

Well no offense to the man but head of AH is pretty biased in his political convictions at time and insanely ban happy at other if they don't follow them, (The Admin's bias in any form of IsraelxPalestinian debate's is legendary.) it's little wonder they lose so many people.

Also can anybody tell me the history of how this site came be and splinter from SB? Because I am new and deeply curious of how it happened...

Well, as a friend of someone who had a rather ugly experience with AH not too long ago (I won't say who unless he wants to) I can confirm that about AH, unfortunately and what happened. My friend tried to defend his position in regards to an Israeli/Palestinian debate in a polite manner, he did not "ragetroll" or use expletives of any kind, yet was permanently banned.

Sadly, in the end, the ability of a forum to have debates with opposing viewpoints in a semi-civilized manner only goes as far as the moderators willing to enforce that. Not saying it's been all roses here at the Sietch and understandably it tends to flow more toward the conservative side of the spectrum, but the fact that this forum continues to grow and has become a new home for many fiction writers, hobby enthusiasts, military/war nerds, etc. speaks for itself. And oh yeah...cooks too. In fact, need to add another recipe to the Sietch recipe thread soon...

But in all seriousness, kudos all, especially the moderators and staff. Looking forward to more.

 

[Spartan303]

I still regret only hearing about everything that happened well after the fact; I would have loved to have been in that PM. Also having that Founder banner under my username would be kinda cool too; though there's something to be said for being in that first wave to show up after the grand opening.

I don't think I knew you on SB, hence why you were never on my radar. But the Second PM pretty much was just a hang out spot. The ability to get in pretty much boiled down to 'Hey this guy is cool, lets invite him'. Hell, we were even looking at Ramenth for a time as I thought he was a perfect voice of reason and someone they should reach out too. My thinking was that, you can't just talk to people who only share your opinions, you need to form friendships and relationships with people outside your bubble, less you became the very thing you rail against. So glad that didn't happen as he turned out to be a snake.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

I don't think I knew you on SB, hence why you were never on my radar. But the Second PM pretty much was just a hang out spot. The ability to get in pretty much boiled down to 'Hey this guy is cool, lets invite him'. Hell, we were even looking at Ramenth for a time as I thought he was a perfect voice of reason and someone they should reach out too. My thinking was that, you can't just talk to people who only share your opinions, you need to form friendships and relationships with people outside your bubble, less you became the very thing you rail against. So glad that didn't happen as he turned out to be a snake.

What did Rameth do in particular?

 

[Spartan303]

This website is not much better. The activity levels of all other subforums, combined, show that it's not a science fiction website, it's a right wing politics website with a science fiction theme.

To be fair, we recognize this and we are trying to diversify. I will always contend that stories are where its at. The more authors you have, the more stories you get the more community engagement you'll get as a result. Hell, I think 60% of all SBs traffic is still creative writing or creative writing related. But such things take time to grow. It Took SB over a decade to get where they are today. It'll happen for us too, but it is going to take time. But if you know an Author who would like to cross Pollinate from SB or FF.net or anywhere else, by all means give em a link. The more the stories the better. Of course, some of our users could be a little more engaging as well.

SV got so big so quickly due to a scare that Spacebattles was literally going to die. It was not an unfounded scare either and once the Observer got the new servers and turned things around is when the scare ended. But Sufficient Velocity was touted as a site that you could backup your SB stories and what not. And they had new software and a user friendly system. They came around at the perfect time and got geometric growth as a result. And so when the fear of SB dying faded, many stayed on SV as an alternative Sister site.

We at the Sietch are not so lucky. We were hated from the get go by people pushing an agenda and we have an active whisper campaign against us. That discourages people I'm afraid. I don't like it but the situation is what it is. Only time and providing a good service to our community will rectify that.

 

[Spartan303]

What did Rameth do in particular?

He was trying to infiltrate the PM so he could then expose it. And here I was ready to add him because I thought he was a cool voice of reason and logic.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

He was trying to infiltrate the PM so he could then expose it. And here I was ready to add him because I thought he was a cool voice of reason and logic.

Expose what? It's not like the PM has a Facist business plot and even if it was for whatever reason a takeover of SB wasnt going to happen because facism doesn't work online.

Anyway I know it had to be them just fearmongering as usual.

We at the Sietch are not so lucky. We were hated from the get go by people pushing an agenda and we have an active whisper campaign against us. That discourages people I'm afraid. I don't like it but the situation is what it is. Only time and providing a good service to our community will rectify that.

More like a be silent campaign one of the reasons Sietch isnt well known is because SB lacks a open ban system, if I for example were banned for thought crimes tomorrow no one else would know why I was or If the reasons given were injust, I think that's why I like AH better than SB because at least the mods have a open thread were they show their reasons for banning individuals. (Even though they arent obligated to do so and do withhold their reasons at time.) So one of the reasons I and others didn't find out about the Sietch for awhile was that I just didn't know why the ban took place and others just kept their mouth shut.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Expose what? It's not like the PM has a Facist business plot and even if it was for whatever reason a takeover of SB wasnt going to happen because facism doesn't work online.

Just look for whatever has been said that can be taken severely out-of-context

 

[Husky_Khan]

The PM has a Facist business plot and even if It was for whatever reason a takeover of SB wasnt going to happen because facism doesn't work online.

Just look for whatever has been said that can be taken severely out-of-context

FTFY...

 

[King Krávoka]

Just look for whatever has been said that can be taken severely out-of-context

There's enough in context to be wildly distasteful.

 

[Spartan303]

There's enough in context to be wildly distasteful.

Without knowing specifics and speaking in general? Granted. But we don't control speech and the second we try we start becoming a mirror of that which we don't want to be. People are going to say stuff you don't like, its just how it is. I've seen stuff here, at SB and SV that I don't particularly care for, yet they have the right to say it. Whatever it may be.

This isn't whataboutism. I bring that up as whenever I address the issue that's the first criticism everyone goes to. It just simply is. If we try to crack down on it because we don't like it we then become hypocrites for cracking down on free speech. Our rules are what we feel that are within reason. But even then we walk a tight rope.

 

[Gabe Lincoln]

In summary; there was a PM over on SB, comprised of an honestly ridiculous number of individuals, where users talked mostly about how best to present conservative arguments. Eventually, this one guy by the name of Horton and those he managed to rope into his activities decided to hack the PM, cherry-pick posts that made those who posted there look as bad as possible (as well as modify, or even outright fabricate, some to make them look even worse), and presented his "evidence" to SB staff and the community at large of a diabolical conservative conspiracy who's goal he insisted was to take over the forum.

I was not a member of said PM, but the way it was spread, and the thread about it was in direct violation of SB's rules. It is literally an SB rule that publicly releasing PMs is no bueno. The way that thread was handled was about as far from being kosher as is possible.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

I was not a member of said PM, but the way it was spread, and the thread about it was in direct violation of SB's rules. It is literally an SB rule that publicly releasing PMs is no bueno. The way that thread was handled was about as far from being kosher as is possible.

Does anybody posses a link of were the PM was released as well as SB's ban messages which list the 'reasons' given for the banning?

I am trying to put together a brief history article for the Sietch and I would like some info for research.

 

[Bacle]

I was not a member of said PM, but the way it was spread, and the thread about it was in direct violation of SB's rules. It is literally an SB rule that publicly releasing PMs is no bueno. The way that thread was handled was about as far from being kosher as is possible.

Well when the Mods enabled Horton's bullshit (and it was Horton behind the mess, he said as much on FiC, and we think Mondor was the mole), they knew their targets were not going to be able to fight back in a meaningful way.

The PM was nothing like the BS that was implied, and I do not doubt at least a few mods (qygibo for one) were likely active participants in Horton's plot as well. We know even fucking Rufus looks like he may have played a role via FiC. Appearently Horton gaslight someone to the tune of a few grand to set up the VPNs and such needed to pull it all off.

Horton actually was banking on people fleeing SB for FiC when he put all this in motion. Tried to recruit a few people here as mods for his forum when it all broke.

 

[Free-Stater 101]

Well when the Mods enabled Horton's bullshit (and it was Horton behind the mess, he said as much on FiC, and we think Mondor was the mole), they knew their targets were not going to be able to fight back in a meaningful way.

The PM was nothing like the BS that was implied, and I do not doubt at least a few mods (qygibo for one) were likely active participants in Horton's plot as well. We know even fucking Rufus looks like he may have played a role via FiC. Appearently Horton gaslight someone to the tune of a few grand to set up the VPNs and such needed to pull it all off.

Horton actually was banking on people fleeing SB for FiC when he put all this in motion. Tried to recruit a few people here as mods for his forum when it all broke.

Excuse me but could I ask for some context what is FIC?